Electorate of Cologne

• Coat of Arms/Flag: A red shield with a black cross on a white background
• Motto: “In unity, we thrive.”
• Status: Electorate
• General Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Religious affiliations: Polytheistic
• Capital City: Cologne
• Other Settlements: Bonn, Düsseldorf, Aachen, Münster
• Common Languages: Old High German, Low German, Middle Dutch
• Religion(s): Germanic/Norse, Celtic, and Roman pantheons
• Demographics: Humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings
• Government: Elective Monarchy
• Legislature: Landtag
• Population: 100,000
• Notable Places: Cologne Cathedral, Bonn Minster, Drachenfels Castle
• Current Ruler: Elector Archbishop Hermann IV of Hesse
• Other Notable Residents: Freya, Thor, Odin, Cernunnos, Epona, Mars
• Associated Deities/Saints: Saint Ursula, Saint Gereon, Saint Maurice, Freya, Thor, Odin, Cernunnos, Epona, Mars
• Influence/Power: The Electorate of Cologne is a powerful political and religious entity, with significant influence over the surrounding territories.
• Notable Alliances/Enemies: The Electorate has strong alliances with the neighboring Duchy of Cleves and the Bishopric of Münster, but is also in conflict with the Duchy of Berg and the County of Mark.
• Quest Hooks: The players could be tasked with retrieving a powerful relic from a rival kingdom, aiding in the defense of Cologne from a Viking raid, or investigating rumors of a powerful dragon living in the Drachenfels Mountains.
• Threats: Viking raiders, rival kingdoms, and powerful mythical creatures such as dragons and giants.
• Treasures/Artifacts: The Sword of Saint Maurice, the Golden Apples of Idun, and the Horn of Cernunnos.
• Legendary Creatures/Mythical Entities: Dragons, giants, elves, dwarves, and the Wild Hunt led by Odin.

Political tensions have arisen between the church and the city from issues of taxation, public spending, regulation of business, and market supervision, as well as the limits of corporate autonomy.

Archbishop Dietrich von Moers has reigned for more than forty years. Dietrich has been involved in all the conflicts of northwestern Europe. As a follower of the Anti-Pope Felix V. he was deposed but with help he was able to prevail and was reinstated by the next Pope, Pius II. However Cologne has lost considerable influence. Currently the diocese is completely ruined financially.

The church has used its dwarven population as scapegoats for the Black Death, and burnt many in an auto-da-fé.